Reverse-gear for steam-engines.



F. J. COLE. REVERSE GEAR FOR STEAM ENGINES.

APPLICATION HLEnNov. 20, 1911.

1,023,995. Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

F.J.OOLE. REVERSE GEAR FOR STEAM ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED NOVZO, 1911. I

Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

5 I 9 l l l I w FRANCIS J. QOLE, OF.SCHENEGTADY, NEW' YORK. 1 I I nEvERsE-onAn non. smite-ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed November 20, 1911.

Patented Apr. 23, 1912. Serial No. 661,371.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,'FRANoIs J. COLE, of Schenectady, in the county of Schenectady and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Reverse-Gear for Steam-Engines, of which improvement the following is a specification.

My invention, which relates to reverse gears of the screw type, is more particularly designed for application in locomotive. engines, and its object is to provide an ap pliance of such type which shall be of simple, compact, and inexpensive construction, of

I ready applicability in locomotives of the vamoms present standard types, and, in operation, be exempt from lateral strains inducing undue wear and bending of members.

The improvementclaimed is hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1" is a plan or top View of, a locomotive engine reverse gear, illustrating an application of my invention; Fig. 2, a side v1ew, partly in elevation and partlyin vertical longitudinal central section of the same; Fig. 3, a vertical transverse section, on the line a a of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a similar section through the nut, reach rod connection, and screw, on the line I) b of Fig". 2; Fig. 5, a similar section, on the line 0 c of Fig. 2; Fig. 6, a view, partly in plan, and partly in horizontal longitudinal central section, illustrating a structural modification; Fig. 7, a side view,

partly in elevation and partly in vertical. of the same;

longitudinal central section, Fig. 8, a vertical transverse section, on the line at d of Fig. 7; Fig. 9, a similar section through the 'cross head, on the line e e of Fig. 7 Fig.- 10, a similar section through the cross head, reach rod connection, and screw, on the line 'f f of Fig.7;"FT'gg. 11, a similar section through the cross head connection, on the line 9 gof Fig. 7; Fig. 12, a side view, in elevation, of the nut; and Fig. 13, an end view of the same.

' sReferring first .to Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, in.

the practice of my lnventiom I provide a support, 1, which, in the instance shown, is

a stout plate of metal, adapted to be bolted to the s1de of a locomotive firebox or otherwise held in desired position relatively to the valve geaf, the adjustment of which is to be effected by the appliance. A hearing,

l for an operatmgscrew, formed upon or secured to one end of the support, 1, and a lower guide'bar, 1', preferably, as shown,

pliance,--= .part of my invention, is not herein shown,

prlor to my invention,

tlce to connect the reach rod with the 'ad- 100 t1on of trunnions, jaws, or other oflset couto prevent. 7 To formed integral with it, extends longitudinally along its top, the face of said guide bar being finished truly and being parallel with the axis of the bearing. 1. An upper r guide bar, 1,-is secured'tg the top of said bearing and to the opposite end of the support, 1. An operating screw, 2, is journaled to rotate freely, but without the capacity of longitudinal movement, in the bearing, 1*, saidv screw engaging the thread of a nut, 3, which is fitted, the manner of a cross head, between the guide bars, 1 and 1, andis provided with lateral lips or-flanges, 3*, on its top and, bottom, which flanges abut against the sides of the guide bars, and pre- .vent lateral movement of the nut, while per-' mitting its free-longitudinal movement in one or the other direction, in accordance with the" direction of rotation .of the screw, 2, which is effected by a hanchwheel, 2, fixed thereon adjacent to the bearing, 1*, and carrying a handle, 2". The screw and nut are held stationary in any position. of the latter, by a latch, 2, pivoted to the upper engagement. with any one of a plurality of notches, 2 in the hub of the hand wheel, by a spring, 2 fitting in a recess in the upper guide bar. The position of the nut, 3, for full forward or back motion, oil in either direction, is indicated by a figured scale, 2, fixed to the top guide bar.

The lifting shaft arm, link, or other valve operating mechanism member, the position of which is to be adjusted by the apand which, as it does not form 1s coupled to one. end of a reach rod, 4, the opposite end of which is connected to the nut, 3. In reverse gears of the type to" which my. invention relates, as known it has been the pracjusting mechanism through the intermediaplings adapted for rectangular section solid bar-reach rods. Connections of this character impose side strains upon the gear, involying. undue-wear and bending stresses, WlllCll it is a special object of my invention this end, the reach rod, 4, is coupled to the the screw,

2, by a hollow connecting memher,

5, so that the reach rod and reverse guide bar, l and adapted to be forced into or point of cut nut, 3, in line axially with gear are subjected to strains of tension and compression only, bending strain being eliminated. The connecting member, 5, is preferably, as shown, formed of a section of heavy pipe, of diameter sufficient to permit it to move entirely clear of the screw, and is connected at one end to the nut, 3, by being screwed into a hub or boss on the adjacent end thereof, and at the other end,

screwed into a head, 6, which is fitted to.

be obvious that such specific form is not of the essence of my invention, and that any other hollow member, by which is meant one presenting a central space of diameter greater than that of the screw, as, for example, a plurality of separated rods or bars, may be substituted in the discretion of the constructor.

Figs. 6 to 13 inclusive illustrate a modified form of the appliance, embodying all the essential features of that above described, but differing therefrom structurally in the character and location of the articulation of the nut with the reach rod. In this instance, the nut, 3, instead of being fitted directly between the upper and lower guide bars, 1, 1*, as in'the construction first described, is held against rotation in a cross head, 8, which is fitted to slide between the guide bars and provided with lips or flanges, 8 fitting against the sides thereof. The nut is held against longitudinal movement in the cross head by a removable cap plate, 8", and bolts, 8 The hollow connecting member, 5, instead of being, as before, rigidly connectedto the nut and jointed to the reach rod, is oppositely disposed, that is to say, is rigidly connected to the reach rod, and is provided at its opposite end, with a ball or spherical faced enlargement, 5 fitting a corresponding socket in the cross head, 8, which carries the nut, and held therein with the capacity of movement as a universal joint, by a cap plate, 8?, and the bolts, 8. It will be seen that the same flexibility is provided by the ball joint thus formed as in the instance first described.

The advantage, in practical service, of my invention, in the provision of an articulated connection between the operating screw and reach rod, in or substantially in line axially with said members, and the consequent elimination of the lateral strains imposed upon the gear in the use of the masses prior offset constructions, will be apparent to those familiar with locomotive engine construction and operation. A further advantage is presented in the structural simplicity of the appliance, and its ready adapt ability to standard conditions.

I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a steam engine reverse gear, the combination of an operating screw rotatable without longitudinal movement, a nut engaging said screw and fitted tomove longitudinally but without rotation, and a reach rod connected to said nut, substantially in the axial line of the operating screw.

2. In a steam engine reverse gear, the combination of an operating screw rotatable without longitudinal movement, a nut engaging said screw and fitted to move longitudinally but without rotation, and a reach rod coupled by an articulated connec tion to said nut, substantially in the axial line of the operating screw.

3. In a steam engine reverse gear, the combination of a support having a bearing at one end and a longitudinal gulde parallel therewith, an operating screw fitted to retate without end movement in said bearing, a nut engaging said screw and fitted to traverse longitudinally on said guide, a reach rod connected to said guide substantially in the axial line of the operating screw, and means for permitting movement of the reach rod, in a vertical plane, relatively to the guide.

4. In a steam engine reverse gear, the combination of a support havin a bearing at one end and a longitudinal guide parallel therewith, an operating screw fitted to rotate without end movement on said bearing,

a nut engaging said screw and"'fitted to move longitudinally oh said guide, a reach rod, and an articulated connection coupling said reach rod to said nut, substantially in the axial line of the operating screw.

5. In a steam engine reverse gear, the combination of a support having a bearing at'one end and a longitudinal guide parallel therewith, an operating screw fitted to 1'0- tate without end movement in said bearing, I a nut engaging said screw and fitted to move longitudinally on said guide, a reach rod, and a hollow connecting member coupling said reach rod to said nut, substantially in the axial line of the operating screw. j

6. In a steam engine reverse gear, the combination of a support having a bearing at one end, and a longitudinal guide parallel therewith, an operating screw fitted to rotate without end movement in said bearing, a nut engaging "said screw and fitted to move longitudinally on said guide, a reach rod, and a hollow connecting-member coupling said reach rod to said nut, substanscrew, and articulated at one of its ends to the adjacent member.

7. In a steam engine reverse gear, 1 the combination of a support having a bearing at one end and a longitudinal guide parallel therewith, an operating screw fitted to roi tate without end movement in said bearing,

a nut engaging said screw and fitted to move longitudinally on said guide, a hollow connecting member secured at one end to said nut, a head. fixed to the opposite end of said connecting member, a guide for said head, a reach rod, and a swinging joint coupling said reach rod to said head, substantially in the axial line of the operating screw.

8. In a steam engine reverse gear, the

operating combination of a support havin a bearing at one end and a longitudinal guide parallel therewith, an operatlng screw fitted to r0- tate without end movement in said bearing,

a nut engaging said screw, and fitted to move longitudinally on said guide, a hollow connecting member secured at one end to said nut, a head fixed to the opposite end of said connecting member, a spherical faced guide for said head, a reach rod, and a pin coupling said reach rod to said head, inand transversely to the axial plane of the operating screw.

FRANCIS J. coLE.

Witnesses:

-S. W. TYLER, FRANK F. SCOVILLE, 

